29th December 2013 

 Jesus the last word. The reading is from Hebrews 1;1-3 and John 1:1-14. The talk looks at Jesus as the beginning and the end as the creator and the sustainer of the universe and answers the question as God is Spirit, how do we see? That the incarnation enables us to see and understand that Jesus is the still small voice of God , he has made him known

Notes will usually be available on the downloads section of the  website.

 25th December 2013 Christmas Day

 The reading is from Isaiah 11:1-5 and looks at what is the true spirit of Christmas in all of our celebrations of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Reflected in the way the Spirit of the LORD is the spirit of wisdom and understanding, counsel and knowledge, the spirit of power and the fear of the LORD, establishing  a peaceful Kingdom. That Jesus would know how to rule because of the Spirit of the Lord is resting on him and in  Luke 4: 16 – 21 describes him claiming that he fulfilled the prophecy: “The Spirit of the sovereign Lord is on me!.” This Spirit was bringing in good news for the poor, liberty for captives and sight for the blind and setting free the oppressed. This is the Spirit of the LORD on Jesus that we celebrate this Christmas if we celebrate the true Spirit of Christmas.

Furthermore the Spirit of the Lord, the “Spirit of Christmas” can be seen each day: in the fruits of the Spirit that are outworked in our shared lives in acts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control.

Notes will usually be available on the downloads section of the  website 

22nd December 2013 Carols by Candlelight

 The reading is from Luke 2: 1 – 7. After showing a YouTube clip from St Pauls church New Zealand called ” An unexpected Christmas”  the talk underlines that God’s plan is in many ways unexpected– it is awesome and unique. The teaching of Jesus as recorded and unpacked in Holy Scriptures tells of God taking on flesh and blood and living among us, suffering instead of us and delivering us from the power of evil. They won’t be expecting that. Indeed the world was not expecting what God did in Jesus Christ.

Notes will usually be available on the downloads section of the  website .

 22nd December 2013 All Age 

An All Age service this morning largely taken up with a marionette nativity show but preceded with a short talk. The reading is from Luke 2:4 – 15 as the E in the advent mnemonic COME for “Evangel “– Good News. Everyone gets an invitation to consider and “see” Jesus born in Bethlehem and laid in a manger, his way of life working , preaching and teaching, healing, dying and being buried, but now risen from death, alive and resplendent - and coming again. 

 

Notes will usually be available on the downloads section of the  website. 

 

15th December 2013

The third in our series of four in Advent talks this time looking at “M” for “Maranatha.” The reading is from 1 Corinthians 16:19-24. The talk looks at the Aramaic term and its meaning in context as “come our Lord.” Then looks at the purpose of the return(parousia) of Jesus to earth including themes of redemption, resurrection, judgement and deliverance.

Notes will usually be available on the downloads section of the  website.

8th December 2013

The second talk in the series of four in Advent.  “Hear O Israel -The LORD our God is One”  Deuteronomy 6: 4 – 8. The fundamental unity of God – is axiomatic to all three monotheistic faiths. The Old Testament contains many indications of a “fullness” in Godhead which foreshadows the NT teachings of the Trinity. God the One person: the biblical evidence leads us to two fundamental statements concerning the person of the Lord Jesus Christ: he is truly human; he is truly God.

Notes will usually be available on the downloads section of the  website.

1st December 2013

The Next four Sundays leading up to Christmas Day will look at : C.O.M.E.

Blow the trumpet and make it clear- so we are ready!

Dec 1^st  Coming Christ – adventus. (Latin)

Dec 8^th  One God – God the Son incarnate.

Dec 15^th Maranatha – come Lord Jesus.(Aramaic)

Dec 22^nd Evangel – Good News.(Greek)

The reading is from Revelation 22: 6 – 21 and this talk looks at waiting with expectation and hope, particularly as it relates to Christ’s Second Coming.

Notes will usually be available on the downloads section of the  website .